This News Release is outdated and posted here for archival purposes only.​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

NR-10.03.16-StarParty

October 3, 2016

Canyon Country Campus to Hold Star Party Oct. 21

The College of the Canyons Canyon Country campus will host its biannual Star Party, an event that welcomes students and the community to learn more about the complexity and beauty of the universe through informational, hands-on and immersive education. It's scheduled 7 to 9:30 p.m. Friday, Oct. 21. at the Carl A. Rasmussen Amphitheater.

“The Star Party offers the community an opportunity to see our campus up close, interact with students and faculty from the science disciplines, and learn about space through guest speakers and telescope viewing,” said Anthony Michaelides, acting dean of campus services and operations. “This will be our 14th Star Party, each one offering a unique and enjoyable experience.”

This semester’s event will feature the presentation “Fire and Ice… and Methane: Exploring Mars and Titan,” by Dr. Morgan Cable, a research scientist at the NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL).

The search for life elsewhere in the solar system has led to the recreation of other worlds in the laboratory and studying places on Earth that can act as analogue environments. Dr. Cable’s presentation will explore two unique cases, Mars and Titan, in the context of life, as we know it and, possibly, life as we don’t know it.

Dr. Cable’s work at JPL focuses on organic and biomarker detection strategies, through both in situ and remote sensing techniques. She performs laboratory work to understand the complex organic chemistry of Titan, a moon of Saturn, and also pursues fieldwork in the lava fields of Iceland with the aim to inform future Mars sample return missions.

She is also the deputy Project Scientist for the Enceladus Life Flyer, a proposed mission to sample the plume and search for life.

The event will include science-related hands-on activities, experiments and demonstrations by COC student clubs and academic departments, an exciting methane experiment, and telescopes available for viewing the night sky, made available by local astronomy groups.

As always, the Star Party is free and open to the public. Students, staff and community members are encouraged to bring blankets and lawn chairs. Food and beverages will be available for purchase.